Pros:
- Best performance for insulation and ice retention
- Has the greatest variety of accessories
- Versatile size for camping and overnight trips
Cons:
- I prefer latch handles rather than the rubber “T” handles
If you can deck out with full YETI gear when you go camping, that’s a major flex.
YETI coolers are basically status symbols now. But is their performance all that great?
I did some tests on the YETI Tundra 45 and compared it to similar sized coolers from RTIC, Igloo, and Amazon.
I even cut my YETI in half to see what it looks like on the inside (I didn’t weep…but I could have).
SKIP AHEAD
YETI Tundra 45 Overview
The YETI Tundra 45 is the brand’s main cooler. It’s the size that most people think of when you say “cooler.”
And coolers weren’t…cool…until YETI made them popular. I mean, sure, you’d bring your cooler to the pool to keep your beverages frosty, but you’d never nudge people on the arm to ask them if they wanted to see your cooler until the YETI Tundra 45 came on the scene.
YETI releases seasonal colors about twice per year for their Tundra 45 (I got the Alpine Yellow released in 2022). So if they come out with a color you absolutely love, jump on it. These colors don’t come around too often.
YETI Tundra 45 Dimensions
The widest parts of the YETI Tundra 45 are 25.8” x 16.1” x 15.4”. If you can squeeze a box that big in your trunk, then you’re good to go.
Empty, this bad-boy weighs almost 25 pounds. If you’re not sure how much that is, think of it this way: it’s heavy enough that your wife will always make you pick it up. If you ask grandpa to pick it up, he’ll hurt himself. And if you ask one of your kids to get it, they’ll drop it on their toe and spill everything.
And when it’s loaded with ice and frosty beverages, it can easily weigh up to 75 pounds, which pretty much becomes a two-man job.
Things to Consider Before Buying a 45 Quart Cooler from YETI
Among the four coolers I tested, the YETI Tundra 45 is the most expensive. It also was the best at ice retention and insulation, which I’ll dive into greater detail about later.
There are more expensive coolers out there, but they’re either electric or have some crazy unique feature to them. YETI commands the highest price mainly because of their brand. But, their brand is well-known because you could make a good argument it’s the best.
If you want my opinion, I don’t think the YETI did such a better job with insulation (by one metric, the YETI outperformed the next-best RTIC by about 27%), that the high price is justified.
On performance alone: yes, YETI did the best in my tests. But another big factor in getting a YETI is that they look cool and people will shower you with respect and adoration for owning one.
OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. My point is this: about 20% of the reason to get a YETI is because of brand image. Even if you don’t care about that kind of stuff, you might still want the best of the best, and that’s a good reason to get a YETI. But if you’re like Cooler Bill and you have a vain streak, then getting a YETI is the only way to go.
The YETI Tundra 45 is the best cooler for ice retention and insulation of all the coolers I tested. It’s my personal favorite, too, though other brands like RTIC and Igloo can carry a similar amount and have the same versatility. Technically speaking, though—the YETI is the best.
YETI Tundra 45 Review
My Tests
I compared the YETI Tundra 45 to the RTIC 45, the Amazon Commercial 45 Qt Cooler, and the Igloo BMX 52.
I tested the capacity of each, and for the insulation test, I placed 7 pounds of ice in each at the same time and measured their temperature with a probe continuously for 100 hours.
Capacity
The YETI Tundra 45 fits 54 cans of your favorite beverage. But if you need to know anything about Cooler Bill, it’s that he likes his beverages frosty, so loading up on 54 luke-warm cans just isn’t going to cut it.
With 7 pounds of ice, the YETI Tundra holds more like 40 cans, which is enough to hold Cooler Bill over for a night.
How many cans does the YETI Tundra 45 hold?
The YETI Tundra 45 holds 54 cans without anything else, and holds about 40 cans when loaded with 7 pounds of ice.
But the number of cans only tells part of the story. Each of the coolers I tested have subtle design differences, so that even though they carry the same liquid capacity, you can store more in some compared to others.
The best way I’ve found to quantify this is called space efficiency.
As you can see, the Igloo BMX 52 performed the best in terms of how much it can store relative to its size. The Igloo 52 not only has more liquid capacity, but it also is more efficient with that space as well, so it’s really the roomiest of the coolers.
I’d say that if you have a 5-person family and want to do an overnight (or 2-day), then that bit of extra room will really come in handy. The Igloo has markedly less insulation compared to all three other coolers, which you’ll see when I cut them all in half.
However, the YETI Tundra 45 was the second-most efficient with its space, and had the most efficient design of the 45 quart coolers.
Amazon’s design was decent and could hold a lot of cans. RTIC’s design is clunky, holds less, and weighs a good deal more.
Insulation
Here’s my data from my insulation tests.
I tested all of these coolers in my garage by adding 7 pounds of ice and continuously measuring them with a temperature probe.
I wanted to make sure the conditions were exactly the same, so I just tested them all at the same time. I didn’t open the coolers at any point during this test (but occasionally gave them a jiggle to see if they still had ice).
In the graph above, the blue line represents the YETI Tundra 45. As you can see, it performed much better than the other coolers in this test.
Here’s a closer look:
The YETI Tundra 45 held under 40 degrees for 71 hours, so you could definitely camp for 2-3 days and still hold your steaks safely for the final night’s dinner.
I should also note that over Christmas, we ran out of room in the fridge and I stored meat in my YETI Tundra for like 10 days straight and there was still ice in the cooler.
So the 71 hours applies when the heat and humidity is up (this test was done in the North Carolina summer). If it’s cold outside, these coolers are as cold as the void of space.
Under the same hot conditions, my YETI held its temperature below 50 degrees for 86 hours. That’s three days of frosty beverages.
The YETI Tundra 45 is the best cooler for ice retention and insulation of all the coolers I tested. It’s my personal favorite, too, though other brands like RTIC and Igloo can carry a similar amount and have the same versatility. Technically speaking, though—the YETI is the best.
Durability
In terms of durability, the YETI Tundra feels great. I still don’t have an excellent test for this metric, but I doubt there’s anything you could do to break this YETI. The same is true for RTIC and Amazon.
Based on the feel of these coolers, it’s clear that the Igloo BMX 52 has the thinnest plastic and has the least robust finishings.
There doesn’t feel like there’s an appreciable difference between the YETI, RTIC, and Amazon coolers. They’re all rotomolded, and with that, you get tank-link durability.
Ease of Use
Ease of use really is all about how easy this thing is to lug around. I’d say that the Igloo BMX 52 is the easiest to get around, and the YETI comes in second. The RTIC is the worst.
The Igloo weighs in at just over 16 pounds. After that, there’s a significant 8-pound leap to the rotomolded coolers.
So if you’re getting a rotomolded cooler (for the better insulation and durability), you’re going to sacrifice on weight for sure. I hope you’re hitting the gym.
The RTIC is almost 5 pounds heavier than the YETI, which is actually a pretty big deal, especially when you start loading these coolers with ice and frosty beverages.
How heavy is the YETI Tundra 45?
The YETI Tundra weighs over 24 pounds empty. When it’s fully loaded with ice and drinks, it can weight up to 70 pounds.
All of the rotomolded 45 quart coolers I tested have rope handles at the side. The Igloo is the only cooler that had hard handles, which is my preference when the coolers are fully loaded and heavy.
However, the rope handles make it easier for two people to carry, so it makes sense why they’d all have rope handles. But I’m the kind of person who purposely denies help so I can show off my manliness and hurt my back.
I like the Amazon cooler’s latch system the most. The rubber t-handles on the YETI perform well, but to me the Amazon latches make more sense and are easier to use.
Features
The YETI Tundra comes with a dry goods basket, which I really appreciate. It’s the only cooler I got that comes with an accessory already.
I love the drain plug at the bottom—that’s always handy when you’re camping for a few days and don’t want to try and tip the cooler over.
You get two spaces to add padlocks on either corner, plus I absolutely love the rubber feet on the bottom. These are all pretty standard features now across the board. The Amazon and Igloo both have fish rulers, so if you can’t stop yourself from measuring fish, those are your best options.
What YETI does best is have squillions of accessories available for their coolers.
YETI Tundra 45 Accessories
The YETI Tundra 45 has an impressive array of accessories, ranging from practical to completely ridiculous.
On the practical side, you can get dividers, ice packs, tie down kits, and locks.
If you’re not content with that, you can get drink holders and fishing rod holders that attach to the Tundra, which are pretty cool, but completely unnecessary.
YETI has seat cushions you can add on top, too. So when you inevitably forget the camp chair your wife told you to pack four times, you can just say “don’t worry, honey, I brought this $100 piece of foam that goes on top of the cooler.” And then you just have to get up every time someone wants a drink.
I know it sounds like I’m doggin’ on the seat cushion—in its defense, it does look aesthetically pleasing.
And then there’s the bull head attachment, which speaks for itself.
The YETI Tundra 45 is the best cooler for ice retention and insulation of all the coolers I tested. It’s my personal favorite, too, though other brands like RTIC and Igloo can carry a similar amount and have the same versatility. Technically speaking, though—the YETI is the best.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
The YETI Tundra 45 has over 4,500 reviews on their site at the time of writing and has a 4.8-star average. This is a well-reviewed and well-loved product.
YETI has excellent customer service, and I recommend shopping through their site to take advantage of that.
Some folks wished they got the 60 quart Tundra, which is what I’d probably get if I did a lot of family camping on long 3-days weekends. But if you’re going with 2-4 people and staying 1-2 nights, a Tundra 45 should do the trick.
YETI Tundra 45 Alternatives
I’m leaving the RTIC 45 out of this. I think the Amazon Commercial 45 cooler performs nearly the same but is more lightweight, carries more, and is marginally more expensive. Between the RTIC 45 and the Amazon Commercial, I recommend the Amazon Commercial.
Amazon Commercial 45 Quart Cooler
If you want a robust cooler that insulates really well and you really don’t care about branding, then the Amazon Commercial 45 Quart Cooler is the way to go. It’s a lot less expensive than the YETI, and it still performed well with insulation and carrying capacity.
I don’t think it’s as nice as the YETI Tundra 45, but it offers a good bang for your buck.
Igloo BMX 52
The Igloo BMX 52 is a fantastic budget option. It’s not rotomolded, and it really doesn’t have the same finish or feel as the other coolers.
Plus it sort of looks like a toy that comes in a Happy Meal.
The Igloo definitely performed the worst in my insulation and ice retention tests, but it still held 40 degrees for 51 hours and 50 degrees for 61 hours (compared to 71 and 86 hours for the YETI).
To simplify, you get a day to a day-and-a-half extra insulating power with a YETI. But the Igloo is much lighter, carries more, and is significantly less expensive.
That said, a YETI will last for life. I have doubts (and have heard stories) that the Igloo will last more than 5 years.
What I Like
- It had the best performance for insulation and ice retention in my tests.
- Has the greatest variety of accessories, so you can really customize it.
- The size and shape are well-thought out, fit neatly into your car or truck, and is versatile for overnight trips.
What I Don’t Like
- I prefer the clasp of the Amazon Commercial 45 cooler to the rubber t-handles.
Who is the YETI Tundra 45 for?
The YETI Tundra 45 is the best cooler choice if you want the top-of-the-line. If you’re interested in buying things that last for life and you’re ok spending a bit extra to get the brand-name, then the YETI Tundra 45 is the way to go.
The Verdict
I want to be skeptical of YETI, but their coolers always perform the best when I test them.
The YETI Tundra 45 had the best insulating and ice retention ability compared to the RTIC, Amazon, and Igloo coolers I tested.
This was also true when I tested the YETI Roadie 24.
The YETI Tundra is balanced well, and I can tell that product designers spent a lot more time thinking about the design here than any of the other coolers.
Why do I say that? For starters, the insulation is objectively better.
When I cut all these coolers in half, RTIC has the most insulation. But it didn’t perform as well as the YETI.
The better insulation allows YETI to streamline their design so it takes up less space externally, but also has the most efficient design on the inside. Compared to the other rotomolded coolers, the YETI had the best space-efficiency ratio. The Igloo was the best overall, though it’s not rotomolded and therefore less robust.
If I was to only get one cooler, I’d stump up and get the YETI Tundra 45 over all the other coolers I tested.
The YETI Tundra 45 is the best cooler for ice retention and insulation of all the coolers I tested. It’s my personal favorite, too, though other brands like RTIC and Igloo can carry a similar amount and have the same versatility. Technically speaking, though—the YETI is the best.
FAQs
Is YETI 45 too big?
No, the YETI Tundra 45 is an ideal size for overnights or a two day trip. This is the “basic” size of cooler, and I think every family would do well to have a cooler this size.
Can one person carry a YETI 45?
When fully loaded, a single person needs to be pretty strong to carry a YETI Tundra 45. If you’re loading your cooler with ice and drinks, it can weigh up to 70 pounds. One person can definitely carry that, but it’s heavy no matter what your bench press weight is.
What size YETI is most popular?
The most popular YETI size is the Tundra 45. The second-most popular is the YETI Roadie 24. However, having both, I prefer the Tundra 45 as it’s more versatile.
